Known is a large group of electrolysers, which produce up to 16 grams of active chlorine in a solution per hour. These are, for example, the disclosed in patents RU2145940 [1], RU2208589 [2], RU2322967 [3] in which coaxial electrodes are separated by a ceramic diaphragm. Their disadvantage is the low output of active chlorine, entailing the need for a complex hydraulic and electrical coupling of these electrolysers in a high-performance device.
Known is an electrolyser with the productivity of 860 grams of active chlorine per hour, U.S. Pat. No. 8,298,383 [4], which comprises an anode as well as diaphragm assembled in axial alignment. The disadvantage of this electrolyser is its high consumption of electric energy—up to 24 W for the production of 1 gram of active chlorine.
The electrolyser with the output of up to 960 grams of active chlorine per hour, U.S. Pat. No. 8,568,574 [5], is chosen as the closest solution in prior art. Its internal electrode is a tubular cathode closed on both ends with covers. These have an inlet and outlet for fresh water that cools the cathode from the inside and flows to the upper cover of the electrolyser, where it is mixed with the anolyte concentrate flowing from the anode chamber, producing the disinfectant.
The disadvantage of this device is the design of the upper cover of the electrolyser, where the opening in the upper cover for inflow of water is at the same level with the water outlet of the upper cover. As a result, the water entering into the upper cover flows in a circle inside the anode chamber and on its way to the outlet has a possibility to pass deeper into the anode chamber, increasing thereby the electrical resistance of the electrolyte in the anode chamber and making it necessary to consume up to 10.5 W of electric energy for the production of 1 gram of active chlorine. Another disadvantage of this device is the use of current non-conductive threaded covers to seal hermetically the upper and lower end of the tubular cathode. The existence of threaded covers makes it necessary to fit terminals that supply the cathode with voltage only to one end, generally the lower end of the cathode, as otherwise it would not be possible to assemble the electrolyser. However, as voltage is supplied from one end to another end of the cathode that is more than 130 cm long, some of the electric energy is lost in overcoming the resistance over the length of the cathode.